Principles for Effective Learning

No mistakes. Always be sure and in control. Follow the principle of 100% correct practice: to make a mistake is to learn incorrect things, and to confuse that which you already know.

Slower is faster. Speed comes from certainty. The more you type things correctly, no matter how slow it has to be, the more certain you will be, and the faster you will become a proficient typist. Increase speed only when you feel sure enough to do so.

Don't look at the keyboard! If you don't know where a key is, look at the keyboard to find it, then look away and type the key. Do not guess; always be sure.

Type to a steady rhythm. Generally, the time between keystrokes should be the same, giving you a sense of flow and the ability to scan ahead at a constant speed.

Relax. No unnecessary or dysfunctional tension. Enjoy the rhythm of your own typing!

Hit the keys squarely in the center. If you find you aren't consistently doing so, SLOW DOWN!!! It should feel good to type!

Instructions for Use

Press the "Click here to start" button, then type what you see on the screen. If you type correctly, the letter will turn to grey. If you err, it won't, and you will hear an error sound.

To do the same again (which you should do if you make ANY mistakes), press the "Go again!" button that appears when you finish.

Remember, shoot for no errors!! That is the most important thing right now. Speed means nothing; certainty and correctness are what's important.

For practical purposes, you can consider yourself having mastered an exercise only if you are able to type three reloaded screens of exercises in a row in under 60 seconds each, with no errors, confidently.

Technical Help

If you are accessing this course on the desktop or a laptop, Google Chrome (currently the most popular browser in the world) is the recommended browser for this site, and switching to it will likely solve any issues you may be experiencing. It is a free download, easy to install, and available for all platforms.

Javascript is required for the typing functionality, so please ensure it is turned on in your browser preferences.

Some third-party extensions for web browsers, such as ad blockers, might interefere with the typing functionality. If you are using such an extension, turn it off temporarily and see if that is the cause. If so, it should be possible to whitelist this site so that the extension is turned off for this site only.

This course is not designed to be used with a soft keyboard on a tablet, although it has been successfully tested to work with iOS devices (iPad and iPhone). If you are on Android or a Windows Mobile device it is hit or miss, however it should work absolutely fine with an external keyboard. It is highly recommended to learn touch typing on a physical keyboard for the tactile feedback, and bluetooth keyboards can be obtained very inexpensively these days (i.e. as little as $10). This is a VERY worthwhile investment to learn touch typing, a skill which will last you a lifetime.

If you're still having problems, you can still access the old, Flash-based version of the course here.

Typing Exercise: The Finger Upper-Downer

This keyboarding exercise trains each finger to become physically accustomed to the keys it is responsible for, as they are aligned vertically. Remember, "vertical" on a typing keyboard means up and down, with a slant up to the left. Occasionally, it might be useful to say the letter or number names of the keys out loud as you type them, to reinforce the connection through a different learning modality.

Always keep in mind this course's Principles of Effective Learning:

No mistakes. Always be sure and in control. Follow the principle of 100% correct practice: to make a mistake is to learn incorrect things, and to confuse that which you already know.

Slower is faster. Speed comes from certainty. The more you type things correctly, no matter how slow it has to be, the more certain you will be, and the faster you will become a proficient typist. Increase speed only when you feel sure enough to do so.

Don't look at the keyboard! If you don't know where a key is, look at the keyboard to find it, then look away and type the key. Do not guess; always be sure.

Type to a steady rhythm. Generally, the time between keystrokes should be the same, giving you a sense of flow and the ability to scan ahead at a constant speed.

Relax. No unnecessary or dysfunctional tension. Enjoy the rhythm of your own typing!

Hit the keys squarely in the center. If you find you aren't consistently doing so, SLOW DOWN!!! It should feel good to type!